Sign.



PATENTED JULY 7, 1908.

B. J. PUY.

SIGN.

APPLICATION YILED DB0.12,1907.

BERNARD J. FOY, OF BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS.

Specicaton oi' Letters Patent.

Patented July '7, 1908.

Application filed December 12, 1907. Serial No. 408,209.

To aliwkom et may concern:

Be 1t known that I, BERNARD il. For, oi Brookline, county of Norfolk, State ol Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement may be projected -onto the sign-plate, and means for supportlng a single electric light therein; also to provide the light box with a colored lens which is arranged opposite the light which is contained therein, so that the rays of light may be projected through said lens and observed from the rear oit the automobile, a single electric-light being thus employed to illuminate the sign-plate and to also serve as the rear signal light.`

. Figure l is a front elevation of an autoincbile sign embodying this invention. `Fig. 2. is a rear lside elevationof the sign 'shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section ot'the sign shown in Fig. 2, taken on the dotted line 3-3 lookin toward 'the right. Fig. Li is a longitudina vertical section of the light box. Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the light box taken on the dotted line 5-5 Fig. l.

a represents the sign-plate of any usual or suitable shape and design.

l) represent-s the light box, which is made cylindrical or of other suitable shape. This box is arranged at the top of the sign-plate and has an opening along its under side, as at b1, for the purpose of directing the rays of light down onto the sign-plate.

The light box is secured to the upper sup port for the sign plate. Said upper support -consists essentially of a supporting-plate c provided with holesc for bolts orscrews by which it may be secured to the body of an automobile, andA posts b2, b2, which extend forward from the plate, and the light box is secured to said posts. y

The light 1ocx is formed with a lip lia-at the rear edge of the opening t which extends downward a short distance directly in front of the posts b2. A pair of lon .spiral springs d are provided, the upper ent s of which are attached to Cotter-pins d" which extend through the posts b2, or they may be otherwise attached to the upper support.` The lower ends of said springsare attached to the lower support for the sign plate, as for instance, as here shown, they are attached to a lip c extending outwardly from the rear upper edge of an engaging-clip c which is provided ior engaging the lower edge oi the sign-plate. 'lhe engaging-clip a 1s formed with a recess of suitable width to receive signplates of diii'erent thicknesses to thereby engage the many diii'ere'nt sign-plates now ir common use. The upper edge of the signplate engages the posts b2, oi the upper support, between the lip t on the light box and the cottenpins, and as said lip and cotter pins 4hold the upperend of the sign plate respectively against forward and backward movement, they form, in reality, a part of the upper support, for the sign plate.

The springs d act to draw up the clip c" and thereby to raise the sign-plate into engagenient with the posts b2 'or otherforward .extensions on the supporting-plate, and also act to thrust said sign-platea ainst the lip b and against one we l of the clip, to thereby hold it iirm'ly in position and against rattling. By extending the lip c in anioutward direction troni the engaging-clip it will ben observed that said clip may be turned to occu y diiiereu't positions by the action of t ie s' rings, to engage sign-plates of different t icknesses. i

A single lelectric-light fis arranged in the light box, it being made as a bulb having terminals for the filament at its opposite ends. This bulb is held in' position by-means of a air of spring actuated posts f which engage' its ends and electric connection` is established with the iilainent by means of said terminal posts. The terminal posts j" have their bearings in blocks f2 ot insulating material which are located within the light box and wl'xich are secured thereto by screws or other suitable means, said blocks being arranged solas to sup ort the terminal posts in alineinent in or( er that they may hold the bulb between them. 4

g, g, represent the electric wires which are respectively connected to the outer ends'of the terminal posts f, said Wires entering the light box through a hole'made for this purose. P The electric-light fis located in the light lbox at a point substantially midway the length of thebottom opening b', so that the raysthereof may roject through said opening onto the `signate.

An opening is made in the side of the ht box directly opposite ihiig, it being hel the light,which is represented at h, and a colored lens is su orted infront of said open- (Fby a suitably flanged collar which is provided for the purpose and 1 Which'is secured'to the lightbox, projecting therefrom a short distance as shown in Fig. 5. Bythus locating the. coloredlens the rays of light from the electric-light roject therefrom, and provide a signal lig t at the rear of the automobile. It will thus be observed that'by means of a single electric-light, arranged as herein shown, the sign-plate vis L illuminated from aboveand a signal-light is provided.v

L Having thus described my invention7 what .the lower edge of the sign-plate,

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters -Patent iss- '-1, A sign-plate holder consisting of an up- `persuppo'rt' adapted to be stationarily secured to an object, having means for engaging the upper edge of the sign-plate and having means 'extending over the front of the i ulpper edge f the sign-plate and an engagingp having a longitudinal recess for receivmg and spira springs connecting said clipiwith the upper support for drawin the clip toward the upper support to hol them, substantiallyas described.

2. yA si -plate holder consisting of a supporting-p ate adapted to be stationarily secured to an obj ect, forward extensions therelon', a light-box secured to said forward extensions having an opening along its under side, a clip for engaging the lower edge of the the s'gn-plat'e between sign-plate, and coiled springs for drawing the clip toward the forward extensions to hold ect and forward extensions on said plate, a

opening along its under 'si e, a lower'sup ort A 4. A sign-plate holder consisting of an upper support for engaging the upper edge of the sign-plate and adapted to be stationarily secured to an object, a light box secured thereto havingl an 'opening along its under side, and another'opening above the aforesaid openin 'a co ored lens sup orted in front of lsaidlast named opening, a ight con"- tained in said box above the opening in the 'under side thereof, and back of the other opening, a lower support for engaging the lower edge of the sign-plate, andmeans for drawing the lowei` su port toward the upper 4support to hold the signlate between them, su

stantially as describe In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, -in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. I

BERNARD J. FOY.

``Witn esses:

L. H. HAMMAN,

H. B. Davis. 

